The crew of the aircraft were on a night cross country navigation exercise from RAF Finningley near Doncaster when the aircraft flew into the southern side of Rushup Edge above the Chapel to Castleton road at 20:45. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire.

Very little remains of X3154 on Rushup Edge, the site being on upland pasture and close to the road meant that recovery of the remains at the time was carried out with relative ease.The crew were all buried in different cemeteries in EnglandSergeant David Smith is commemorated on the screen wall in the war graves section at Manchester Southern Cemetery.War graves section at Manchester Southern Cemetery.